(Closed) FitBit Flex

I just got a FitBit Flex for my birthday and I like that it tells me how many calories I’ve burned just from, well, being alive and what not…but how the hell do I get it to track my workout? I do INSANITY and I want it to give me a calorie burn reading on that…any bees have a FB Flex and can offer some insight? Maybe I should have researched more–probably should have–or maybe I need to get a HR monitor instead. Help me! I’m sweating for the wedding and I need your technologically savvy comments!

MrsHalpert: I think it really only calculates based on “steps” and intensity. However, I think you input independent exercise into the FitBit app to try to calculate calorie burn. I don’t think it is going to be able to understand everything you did (ie lifting weights, etc)

It has a place to manually put in your workouts, but I don’t exactly know how. BUT, I do know that you can get it to sync with My Fitness Pal and put your workouts into there. That’s what I use to enter my food for the day, because I think the food database on mfp is bigger than the fitbit one, and it just syncs automatically.

MrsHalpert: I can’t speak to the Fitbit. I was going to get one, but I found for lifting weights and anything other than running/steps it wasn’t ideal. However, I got myself into a Polar FT7 HRM, and it works amazing. Just wanted to chime in on that aspect. If you’re looking for a good HRM. You wear a strap around your ribcage (below your bust) while you work out. You honestly wouls have no idea it is there. Just a thought!

It may be too late for you since you already have the fitbit, but I have a Garmin Vivofit which works great. i bought it because I wanted a fitness tracker that would include my calorie burn from exercise and the vivofit does that as it has a heart rate strap you can wear while exercising. It is pretty awesome because it runs on a regular watch battery and therefore doesn’t have to be charged regularly like the other fitness trackers do. It is also compatible with MFP.

megz06:! I have the same HR monitor and love it. It fits comfortably under a sports bra and is the easiest, most direct way I’ve found to count calories burned. Of course, as with any style/brand, these things do have about a 10% margin of error, but at least they give a better idea of where we’re at hehe : )

It doesn’t track workouts. Only steps and if you move in your sleep. I’m not even sure the calories are right because it really only goes off the weight you put into the app, not really considering if your weight is all muscle (which means you’d burn more per hour resting) or not. I got one free for work and used it, but I lost it. And not to be a debbie downer, but wouldn’t spend my own money on it. I think what you’re looking for is more like Nike Fuel that kind of tracks everything. Can you return your fitbit for a nike fuel or something similar?

I have a Fitbit Flex, and I really like it. I sync it with MFP and check my food that way, and then it tracks my sleep and activity.

However, it doesn’t track activities in the gym as such, so you have to manually enter these, and they’re not always 100% correct. So I just use my calorie intake and output as a guidance, especially since all of the workouts don’t exist.

But you can use the Fitbit with several other apps and equipments, so if you want to be 100% certain, then buy another app or fitness tracker thing and connect them 🙂